AND THE FISH THEREOF. 105 



vulgaris, a species of heath, of which a solution is prepared and used in a 

 similar manner to that described above. Nets in constant use are tanned, 

 as a rule, once every one to three months, and last one to three years ; 

 if only occasionally used, and dried after use, the fine thread-nets last six 

 to ten years, with the aid of trifling repairs ; untanned nets are naturally 

 less durable, but are preferable, as being less conspicuous in the water. 

 The coarser twine nets which are tanned, and still more so those which are 

 tarred, as is the case in the north of Dalmatia, last eight years and more. 



When tanned, the nets are " mounted," i.e., cut to their proper shape and 

 size ; the lower edge, " foot," or " sole " (ima), is then weighted with lead 

 (piombi), and the " back," or uppermost part, is edged with rope, as also 

 the "heads," or ends of the net; the back is further provided with the 

 necessary cork floats (corteghc, or sugheri), and ropes for hauling in. 



The common knots (groppi) in use are illustrated on Plate IX. They 

 consist of the gi'oppo dritto (right-hand knot), the gi'oppo sinistro (left-hand 

 knot), and the groppo scorrcnte (sliding-knot). The prevalent classes of 

 meshes (maglia) are illustrated on Plate X. 



The different kinds of nets in use may be classed as follows : — 



1. Drift-nets 



{Standnetze, Posh-), or Reti da posta, d' imbrocco, da incctto, generic terms 

 used to designate the class of nets into which the fish enter of their 

 own accord, or are allured by bait, or are driven in by fright, and, once 

 embroiled in the meshes, are there held by their gills, — terms which 

 comprise the trammel-nets. They are called also reti semplici, or nude, 

 i.e. " simple," or " naked," in contradistinction to the trammel-nets, which 

 are known as trimagliate, or vestite, i.e. " dressed " (see Plate X.). Fore- 

 most amongst these is the Sardclicra (called Voiga, or Budcllo in Dalmatia, 

 and Manaida or Signorella in Italy), a hanging-net consisting of one large 

 or eight to sixteen smaller pieces (Spcdoni or Biidelii), joined together so as to 

 form a long straight wall, several hundred yards long and several yards deep, 

 the "head" being supported by floats at or near the surface, and the "foot" 

 weighted so that the net hangs perpendicularly in the water ; the " head " is 



P 



